A 22-year-old man threatened to kill a woman and threw a vacuum at her during a domestic disturbance in Towamencin Township earlier this week, police said. Antwaun S. Emfinger is being charged with simple assault, harassment, terroristic threats, prohibited offensive weapons, escape and receiving stolen property for the Sunday assault. Towamencin police said they went to Emfinger's home in the 700 block of Weikel Road at 2:23 p.m. Sunday, and found Emfinger hiding outside.

Larry Mayers of Allentown, who works for Moravian College, rides a tractor Tuesday as he vacuums leaves along the fence at the college's field hockey field on Mauch Chunk Road in Bethlehem. A hand vac wouldn't cut it.

Burglars broke into the home of Robin Slinger, 1140 Ferry St., Easton, and took a vacuum cleaner valued at $300 and $40 in meat, Easton police reported yesterday. Police said the intruders forced a rear door to enter the house.

State police at Swiftwater are investigating a burglary Tuesday in the Hillside Trailer Park in Hamilton Township. Edith Mosier's cabin was entered between 6:30 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. A Blue Ridge Cable television box and Kirby vacuum cleaner were taken, police said. Anyone with information is asked to contact police at (717) 839-7701.

SOUTH WHITEHALL TOWNSHIP A Monroe County man stole two vacuum cleaners from a South Whitehall Township store Sunday and was foiled in an attempt to steal a third vacuum cleaner from the same store the next day, police said. Ronald Miller, 22, of 1000 Ehler St., Stroud Township, assaulted a police officer in his attempt to flee from the Target at 1600 N. Cedar Crest Blvd., according to court documents filed by police. The first incident was around 11:50 a.m. Sunday, said Sgt. Tom Gersbach of township police.

A crowd listens as Robert Kautzman of Alburtis, "The Vacuum Cleaner Man,' gives a demonstration and slideshow detailing the history of the vacuum cleaner during an Emmaus Historical Society meeting at St. John's Lutheran Church in Emmaus on Wednesday. Jim Roth of Emmaus, above, listens to the lecture. At right, Bill and Nancy Frederick, both of Emmaus, look at some early vacuum cleaners. The history buffs said they found the presentation very interesting.

A fire that heavily damaged an apartment at the Stevelaine Garden Apts., 4041 Freemansburg Ave., Bethlehem Township, on April 13 appears to have started in a vacuum cleaner, according to police. Police Chief Joseph Barner said the fire originated in a bedroom closet in apartment 8 where a vacuum cleaner was stored. The probable cause was something in the vacuum cleaner bag, Barner said. The fire caused extensive damage to the apartment where Kenneth Lyter, his wife and two children resided.

Burglars broke into an Easton home and took a $200 vacuum cleaner and a ski pole, police reported yesterday. Judy DeVito, 263 E. Wilkes-Barre St., told police she returned to her house on Sunday to find a back window and the front door both open and the items missing.

A report of a missing 5-year-old girl in the Poconos led police to arrest the mother on charges of child endangerment after discovering "deplorable" conditions in their home Wednesday morning. Pocono Mountain Regional police said the missing girl was found at Clear Run Elementary School, but first they went to her home at 1284 Winding Way in Coolbaugh Township after receiving a report that she had walked away from her school bus stop. Police said they observed "deplorable" conditions in the home and called in the Monroe County Children and Youth Agency, which removed the 5-year-old girl and her three sisters, ages 6, 8 and 12. Two dogs kept in cages with feces and no food or water also were removed, police said.

An Easton man returned a vacuum cleaner to the Walmart in Lower Nazareth Township last month and was given a refund, but the store later discovered he had never bought the vacuum cleaner, police said. Acting with a friend, Alfie Sykes, 43, of Wayne Street took the vacuum cleaner from a shelf on Sept. 20 and went to customer service to ask for a Walmart gift card as a refund, Colonial Regional police said. The trickery wasn't clear until Walmart security checked video surveillance, but by then Sykes and his friend were gone from the store on Route 248, police said.

FORGOTTEN FELINES AND FIDOS I am a very social fellow who is looking for that special someone. I do like to greet everyone when they come to visit. My owner relinquished me when she had to move to a senior apartment building. I am loving and playful, but I like to attack the vacuum cleaner floor brush when you are vacuuming. More about Boots: He is an orange and white cat, approximately 3-4 years old, neutered, shots and FelV. neg. Gets along with other cats. Contact: Forgotten Felines and Fidos, 610-760-9009

A man and woman were charged with stealing expensive vacuum cleaners from a Target store in South Whitehall Township, according to court records. Aaron C. Tannenbaum, 32, and Lindsay Ann Houston, 33, both of Bethlehem, were arrested Tuesday after they allegedly tried leaving the store, 1800 N. Cedar Crest Blvd., with a $530 vacuum, according to court records. Surveillance footage showed them taking more vacuums since January, according to court records. Police did not say how they are related, but they lived together at 2853 Brodhead Road.

The Salisbury Township Public Works Department will begin the curbside vacuum leaf collection starting Oct. 29. The collection will begin in the First Ward and will continue westward through mid to late December, weather permitting. Residents should leave their leaves along the edge of the road and keep all vehicles away from the area where the leaves are piled.

Palmer police said an argument Sunday afternoon over a man's facial hair ended with his wife allegedly beating him with a vacuum hose, according to court records. Court records do not indicate what kind of facial hair victim Donald Detweiler had, but he said he argued with his wife, Joyce M. Speciale-Detweiler, 52, when he told her of his plans to shave his hair later that day. According to court records: Police said around 4:15 p.m., Detweiler said he was sitting at the back of his home at 1125 Pike St. when his wife began to argue with him about his "facial hair style.

Because so many cooks are running out of counter space in their kitchens, Tilia has introduced the FoodSaver Vac 420, billed as the smallest appliance on the market to offer commercial-strength vacuum packaging. The advantage of vacuum packing is that food stays fresh longer than conventional storage where air is removed. The Vac 420, at 11.5 inches, is four inches smaller than other mid-range FoodSaver models, but it features the same powerful piston pump as the larger models, making it as effective in preserving freshness, flavor and texture of food.

Nearly half of all Americans plan on spending less than four hours total on spring cleaning this year, according to the first-ever Stanley Steemer Spring Cleaning survey. The study shows that nearly two in 10 households will spend less than one hour or no time at all cleaning for the seasonal change. With experts predicting that this spring could be the worst allergy season in 10 years, now is not the time to sweep your chores under the rug. Traditional cleaning methods only skim the surface of a deeper issue that calls for help from the pros.

LOOKING FOR Basset hound items: Kathy of Allentown is looking for Basset hound items. Lamp shade: Rosalie of Roseto is looking for a white or cream colored lamp shade that measures 20-inches high and 17-inches across the top. Kitchen sink: Bruce of Bethlehem is looking for a kitchen sink. Vacuum cleaner hose: Linda of Whitehall is looking for a vacuum cleaner hose for an Electrolux canister vacuum. She is hoping to find one that is not made of plastic.